1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the manufacture of continuous seam-welded metal tubes or pipes, and more particularly to a novel apparatus for aligning and guiding the seam of the newly formed tube or pipe with the welding and fusing mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In accordance with a well-known process for producing seam-welded pipes and tubes, a continuous strip or skelp is advanced through forming apparatus and progressively deformed into a tubular form having an open, longitudinally extending seam. The tubular form then advances through a welding station wherein the adjacent longitudinal edges are urged together and joined by a suitable welding process. The particular welding process employed will generally be dictated by the material from which the tube or pipe is formed, for example, low carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, etc., and may include any of the well-known welding techniques conventionally employed with the different materials. In a preferred embodiment the tube or pipe is heated by electrical induction so that the edges achieve fusion temperature, and the heated edges are urged together to produce a continuous monolithic weld of the seams.
As the strip or skelp is deformed the resulting tubular member has a tendency to twist or snake as it advances through the apparatus. In order to produce an acceptable product, it is important that the seam weld be of consistent high quality, and in order to achieve such consistency the seam must be properly aligned as it enters the welding apparatus. Despite the best efforts in the prior art to maintain alignment of the seam, the devices employed heretofore have not been able to accommodate the twisting and snaking of the tubular member and have not proven entirely satisfactory. The equipment employed heretofore has not been capable of being readily adjusted on the fly to correct for deviations of the newly formed tube so as to permit continuous production for extended periods of time. The equipment heretofore available has lacked the capability to quickly and readily adapt to changing conditions while permitting continuous operation of the tube forming apparatus.